1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automated quotation systems, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an automated quotation system for providing binding instantaneous online quotes to a design engineer needing custom manufactured parts on an expedited basis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a design engineer is designing a new mechanical or electrical apparatus, it is often desired to construct a full scale three dimensional prototype of the apparatus in order to fully evaluate and visualize the arrangement and suitability of the components which have been proposed to make up the apparatus.
Originally, the construction of such prototypes was a painstaking, time consuming and expensive process which involved the creation by hand of each component through traditional machining processes wherein each desired component would be formed by machining away undesired material from a block of metal, plastic, wood or the like. Those traditional machining operations are generally referred to as subtractive manufacturing processes, because the component is formed by subtracting material from a solid block of material through the machining process.
More recently, with the advent of computer aided design (CAD) techniques wherein each of the proposed components is fully described by a digital electronic model, there have developed a number of additive manufacturing techniques. These additive manufacturing techniques involve the use of computer controlled manufacturing processes which can manufacture a three dimensional part from a CAD file describing the part. These additive manufacturing processes can be thought of as three dimensional printers which can take a digital file for the three dimensional part and automatically construct that part without human intervention.
These technologies for creating prototype parts from CAD files are generally referred to by the term “rapid prototyping”. The following summary of rapid prototyping techniques is taken from the text of “rapid prototyping primer”, Chapter 2, published by the Penn State University Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.